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Homegrown Herbivores

Hong Kong – and many parts of China in general – is a notoriously inconvenient place for vegetarians to live. Short of Buddhist monasteries and local veggie boltholes, there hasn’t been much option for vegetarians to eat, let alone to indulge. So it’s no surprise that chic, meat-free Soho eatery The Herbivores has been so well received since it opened last year that a new, bigger branch has just opened in Causeway Bay in the hip Hysan Place.

Tucked within Taiwanese mega bookstore Eslite, the second Herbivores has one luxury that the original doesn’t: space. While the Stanley Street branch fits a meagre 26 seats onto communal wooden tables, the airy Hysan outlet has enough room for patrons to linger over their meals – and thankfully the menu has stayed the same. From four chefs previously at ROKA, the Japanese-inflected Italian fare includes fusion favourites like the plum pasta, tossed with dry basil and topped with seaweed and Japanese plum, truffle risotto with mixed mushrooms, and pumpkin steak with quinoa. Sweet tooths should be sated with the range of desserts including classics like tiramisu, or adventurous options like the genmaicha crème brulee with yuzu sorbet, and red bean tofu cheesecake with condensed milk. With its quirky-cosy vibe and well-executed menu, it’s a crowd-pleaser for not only herbivores but also the most passionate of carnivores!